SB 23, which first passed the State Senate on May 5, incorporates the recommendations of last year’s Two Storm Panel to invest in critical infrastructure and hold utility companies accountable for their performance during emergencies. The bill is now before the Governor for his signature.

“We must not forget the impact that last year’s storms had on people’s lives,” Ritter said.  “This legislation puts in place some necessary provisions that will help us better prepare to prevent severe effects should another storm come our way.”

“There’s hardly a person or business across the state that didn’t feel the impact of the two storms last year,” said House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden). “We understand what worked and what didn’t in terms of how we prepared and how we responded. We created higher standards for utility companies and better communication for state and local officials to respond to major storms. Connecticut will be better protected from power outages for the next, inevitable punch from Mother Nature.”

A key part of the bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to study and establish minimum emergency preparation and response performance standards for each electric and gas company in Connecticut. Noncompliance with the performance standards could result in penalties of up to 2.5% of the utility’s annual distribution revenue. The penalties would be assessed as a credit on customer bills, and would not be recoverable by the utilities through increased rates.

“While we cannot predict the severity of a future storm, we can certainly do all we can to put into place a more robust infrastructure capable of withstanding stronger storms than what is in place now,” Rep. Ritter added. “A better power grid, combined with guidelines and regulations for what is expected from utility companies, should increase reliability across the state.”

In summary, the bill creates:

Microgrids

The legislation would establish a $15 million micro-grid and loan pilot program to support local distributed electricity generation at hospitals, police and fire stations, prisons, water treatment plants and other critical locations. Funds will be allocated evenly among small, medium, and large towns.

Undergrounding Wires

Senate Bill 23 would also take steps to facilitate the undergrounding of power and telecommunications lines. In addition to the performance standards described above, the bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to notify PURA of any pending road work projects over five miles in length or located a commercial area.

Backup Generators for Cell Phone Towers

The bill will require all telecommunications companies to report to PURA and the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection (DESPP) annually concerning their ability to provide backup power to any Connecticut based towers or antennas.

Clearing Roads for Emergency Vehicles

In the aftermath of last year’s storms, fallen trees, limbs, and downed wire blocked passage on many roads across the state became life-threatening when police, fire, and ambulance vehicles could not reach people in need of assistance. The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, in conjunction with the utilities, DOT, DESPP, and municipalities, develop procedures to for road-clearing for public safety personnel.

Food Spoilage Program

PURA must also study and create a mechanism through which electric distribution companies would reimburse residential customers for spoilage of food or refrigerated medicine after long power outages.

HB 5038 requires the Office of Health Reform and Innovation to establish a program for receiving and storing data relating to medical, dental insurance and pharmacy claims, as well as information from enrollment and eligibility files from reporting entities.

“We are entering a new information era and I am elated to take part in keeping Connecticut on the edge of this innovative wave. Making this phenomenal tool available to our healthcare community is a great milestone,” Ritter said. It has been frustrating to grapple with healthcare policy decisions in the absence of complete data. This will provide valuable healthcare information to insurers, businesses, providers and consumers that will allow individuals to make informed decisions relating to safety, quality, cost, access, and efficiency for all levels of health care.”

The measure will require insurers, hospitals, pharmacies, health care centers and dental plan organizations to submit claims data to the database. Entities could face penalties of up to $1,000 per day for failing to report as required.

Ritter noted, “Disclosures into the database will protect the confidentiality of health information as defined in federal Health and Human Services regulations and other information as required by state and federal law.”

HB 5499 allows municipalities the option of permitting a hospice facility in their town, and gives smaller hospice facilities across the state the ability to provide high quality services while allowing patients to stay close to friends and family. Currently, there are just two licensed hospices in the state. Both will be grandfathered into the new regulations.

“The bill facilitates the creation of hospices that offer both inpatient and home-based hospice services. The state has two residential hospices regulated under provisions that date to the 1970s using a model equivalent to the regulation of skilled nursing homes,” Ritter said. “Today's needs have changed, and new regulations will allow the addition of smaller, more home-like residential models that will serve many more areas of the state than served by the current two hospices.”

Rep. Ritter noted significant interest in building a residential hospice has been expressed by the Hospice of Southeastern Connecticut in Norwich and the Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western Connecticut located in Danbury.”

"This is a great step in improving hospice care statewide," said State Representative Kevin Ryan (D-Montville, Bozrah, Lebanon, Franklin). "Hospice facilities provide an invaluable service and will be most welcome in southeast Connecticut."

“I am a fervent believer that every family should have access to high quality hospice care when the time comes to say goodbye to their loved ones," said State Representative Lonnie Reed (D-Branford). "I started out as an opponent of this bill, fearing it would lead to diluted regulations and substandard care; but I applaud the fine work done by Public Health Committee members to improve this bill and I welcome reassurances from the Department of Public Health that it will insist upon excellent hospice care from providers throughout the state." Rep. Reed's district includes the Connecticut Hospice, the first in the nation hospice care facility.

The bill also assures that no invasive procedures will be performed on a patient at a hospice facility and that the Department of Public Health maintains oversight of hospice facilities.

The leaders highlighted some of the advances achieved through this important legislation and called on the Supreme Court not to roll back reforms that are already benefitting Connecticut residents, including:

• Tax credits for small business who provide coverage;
• A ban on lifetime coverage limits;
• A ban on pre-existing condition exclusions for children;
• Extension of dependent coverage through age 26;
• Preventive services for seniors on Medicare without a co-pay or deductible;
• Discounts on drugs for seniors in the Medicare donut hole; and
• Funding for a state pre-existing condition insurance plan, school and community health centers, help with insurance appeals and the development of the health insurance exchange.

"For too long, families have struggled under the weight of rising health care costs," said House Speaker Donovan. "The Affordable Care Act takes many steps to make health insurance affordable to small businesses and families. I will not go back to the days when insurance companies could deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, drop individuals from their coverage because they got sick or made a mistake on their application, or cut off coverage due to lifetime limits."

“We have come a long way in our efforts to provide a fundamental necessity to the people we serve,” Rep. Ritter said. “Our struggle will continue and will not stop until we find solutions to ensure that children and families have access to the healthcare they need. I am proud to be a strong supporter of the Healthcare Act and will remain committed to this issue for as long as it takes.”

"The U.S. Supreme Court may be debating the merits of this act, but there is no question that there have been immediate benefits for American citizens as a result of this law," said state Senator Gerratana. “A lot of the barriers to accessing health care have been removed, such as prohibitions against pre-existing conditions and keeping young adults and recent college graduates on their parents' health insurance plans."

Mary Elia, CT Alliance for Retired Americans stated, “In the two years since its passage, seniors are discovering the many benefits of the Affordable Care Act that saves them money, increases consumer protections, and gives them peace of mind about the future of health care for themselves and their families. By whatever name, the healthcare reform law, the Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare, it is certainly reducing costs, improving care, strengthening Medicare and giving seniors the security we need.”

“I am an ardent supporter of the elimination of lifetime limits and pre-existing exclusions for medical care,” said Skip Burritt of Bristol. He is a cancer survivor.

“The Affordable Care Act is an important step forward in providing economic relief to consumers and to businesses. Reducing health care costs for U.S. manufacturers, in particular, will allow them to better compete in a global market against foreign companies where their governments provide health care – and will be positive for job creation in the U.S.”, said John W. Olsen, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

Kevin Galvin, Owner of Connecticut Commercial Maintenance and Co-Founder and Chair of Small Business for a Health Connecticut said, “New tools available under the federal law, like tax credits, a small business exchange that offers competitive products, and new requirements that insurers offer value for our premium dollars will give small employers like me the ability to spend less time figuring out health insurance and more time growing my business and creating jobs.”

The U.S. Supreme Court began oral arguments Monday over the constitutionality of the healthcare law.

The proposal to convert a portion of the existing Montville facility to use green wood biomass as a fuel source for 40 megawatts (MW) of renewable generation has been approved by the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC).

“Cleaner, renewable energy is a critical part of our economic future," said Rep. Tom Reynolds
(D-Ledyard). "The new Montville biomass facility brings a host of benefits to the region and good paying jobs. We must ensure that additional plants are planned for and built to meet our needs in the years to come.”

To be successful, the new facility will need a buyer for the energy generated and thus the delegation is asking Governor Malloy to support approval of the Northeast Utilities and Boston-based NSTAR merger (NU-NSTAR), only on condition the companies enter into a long term contract for new biomass generation in Connecticut.

“This project has the potential of generating a significant source of job creation and revenue for Montville,” Rep. Ritter said. “I believe we are in a good position to move it forward and make it a reality this year.”

"Montville has long been one of the locations for the generation of power in our region. Recently this position was jeopardized with the closing of AES Thames," said Rep. Kevin Ryan (D-Montville, Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon). "This refitting of the NRG plant will reinstate and stabilize our status as an energy generator with clean energy, good jobs and taxes to the Town of Montville."

Also signing the letter were, State Senator Edith Prague (19th District) and Sen. Andrea Stillman (20th District).

Copy of letter to the governor is attached.

The press conference was held in advance of a Public Health Committee public hearing on the legislation.

In addition to establishing the panel, the proposal establishes an Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Fund and creates a $2 check off voluntary contribution option for those applying or renewing their vehicle registration to help sustain it.

“Organ and tissue donation is one of the most significant gifts anyone can give,”

Rep. Ritter said. “I am committed to supporting Donate Life Connecticut in their effort to push this important project forward and help them spread the word in the state about the importance of becoming an organ donor to save lives.”

"The ultimate goal of this bill is to increase the number of registered organ donors in the State of Connecticut through heightened awareness,” Rep. Albis stated. “The more registered donors we have here in Connecticut, the more lives we will be able to save."

"Knowing my own sister gave life to others when her’s tragically ended, gives me great pride. This legislation will not only save lives of those in need of a transplant - but give bereaved families the opportunity to save other families from similar grief,” said Kari Mull, Director of Donate Life Connecticut.

Jaime Rotatori, (mother of child heart transplant recipient, Seymour, CT) said, “Without my son's donor family, we wouldn't have the chance to see my miracle child grow up. Aaron is now an active, healthy six year old boy excelling in first grade and his favorite activity, karate!"

Donate Life Connecticut is dedicated to increasing the number of registered organ and tissue donors in Connecticut through outreach and education. Their website is: www.DonateLifeConnecticut.org.

The press conference was held in advance of a Public Health Committee public hearing on the legislation.

In addition to establishing the panel, the proposal establishes an Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Fund and creates a $2 check off voluntary contribution option for those applying or renewing their vehicle registration to help sustain it.

“Organ and tissue donation is one of the most significant gifts anyone can give,”

Rep. Ritter said. “I am committed to supporting Donate Life Connecticut in their effort to push this important project forward and help them spread the word in the state about the importance of becoming an organ donor to save lives.”

"The ultimate goal of this bill is to increase the number of registered organ donors in the State of Connecticut through heightened awareness,” Rep. Albis stated. “The more registered donors we have here in Connecticut, the more lives we will be able to save."

"Knowing my own sister gave life to others when her’s tragically ended, gives me great pride. This legislation will not only save lives of those in need of a transplant - but give bereaved families the opportunity to save other families from similar grief,” said Kari Mull, Director of Donate Life Connecticut.

Jaime Rotatori, (mother of child heart transplant recipient, Seymour, CT) said, “Without my son's donor family, we wouldn't have the chance to see my miracle child grow up. Aaron is now an active, healthy six year old boy excelling in first grade and his favorite activity, karate!"

Donate Life Connecticut is dedicated to increasing the number of registered organ and tissue donors in Connecticut through outreach and education. Their website is: www.DonateLifeConnecticut.org.

The press conference will be held in advance of a Public Health Committee hearing where the legislation will be heard at 10:00 a.m. in room 1D. In addition to forming the panel, the proposal establishes an Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Fund and creates a $2 check off voluntary contribution option for those obtaining or renewing their vehicle registration to help sustain it.

The outpouring of support for this key provision of health care reform comes as political attacks against Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act have made their way to the Supreme Court, which is set to hear arguments in the case this spring.

Rep. Ritter highlighted the faulty arguments made by those seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act, and what it would mean for Connecticut families if the Supreme Court allowed the landmark law to be scuttled.

“Once again, I stand in support of the Affordable Care Act law and its provision to expand Medicaid,” Ritter said. “I am proud that over 80 of my colleagues in the legislature feel as strongly as I and are in support of defending our health care law against politically motivated attacks. Our voices, together with over 500 nationwide lawmakers are loud and clear - we will continue to defend what rightfully belongs to the hundreds of families we represent.”

“Since 1965 Medicaid has been a healthcare partnership of the Federal and State governments that works, and every state participates. The Affordable Care Act expands Medicaid as a way to provide seamless coverage to both children and adults. The current legal challenges divert attention from the real issue: a way for our constituents to get the health care they will need,” Sen. Gerratana said.

“The Affordable Care Act is making a difference in the lives of Connecticut residents already, and expanding Medicaid will help the working poor and other low-income individuals lead better, healthier lives," House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) said. "I am proud that so many of my colleagues in Connecticut and elected officials from across the country are willing to fight against baseless constitutional challenges to real solutions to our health care problems."

The brief was filed in conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform, a national group of state legislators focused on advancing health reform at the state level, in conjunction with Progressive States Network and the Constitutional Accountability Center.

The filing of the brief defending the ACA’s Medicaid expansion comes after over 500 state legislators representing all 50 states filed a brief last month defending another provision – the individual mandate - of the Affordable Care Act currently under attack in the Supreme Court.

The full text of the Amicus Brief filed and a full list of signers is available here:
www.progressivestates.org/sync/pdfs/StateLegislatorsMedicaidBrief.pdf

A State Representative since November 2004, her particular interests are in the areas of public health, healthcare access, and energy issues. Since 2009, she has been House Chair of the Committee on Public Health. She is also a member of the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Energy and Technology, and is a founding member of the Appropriations Sub-committee on Results Based Accountability. In addition, she serves on the Sub-committees on Health and Hospitals, and Human Services; and she is a long-time member of Connecticut’s Medicaid Managed Care Council.

Representative Ritter was awarded the “Excellence in Public Affairs Award” for her leadership as Chair of the Public Health Committee, and advocacy as a member of the Appropriations Committee, in expanding Connecticut’s Newborn Screening panel to include universal screening for Cystic Fibrosis and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), and her advocacy in developing a Blood Cord Bank Board to examine the feasibility of Connecticut having a statewide Blood Cord repository for research and discovery, including prematurity and low-birth weight.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the March of Dimes, a wonderful partner in this effort and it was a bigger honor to work with my colleagues to bring screening for SCID to our newborns in Connecticut,” Rep. Ritter said. “Today, diagnosis in the first three months of life means we can treat, and most likely cure, the disease at a reasonable cost. If it’s found later, treatment is less effective and costs can run into the millions of dollars.”

"Representative Ritter is a long time champion of issues related to mothers and babies. The state of Connecticut and March of Dimes is fortunate to have her as a public health champion,” said Amy Gagliardi, chair of the March of Dimes Connecticut Chapter Public Affairs Committee.

The volunteer celebration was held on January 28h, in honor of March of Dimes founder President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose birthday was January 30.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

The sessions will give residents another opportunity to discuss issues important to them and address any concerns with Rep. Ritter before the start of the 2012 legislative session, which begin February 8th.

“I enjoy hearing from my constituents and look forward to seeing as many people as I possibly can this upcoming week,” Ritter said. “This is a great chance to bring forth thoughts on what we should bring to the legislative session.”

The Montville meeting will take place in the Montville Town Council Chambers Thursday from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm, and the Waterford meeting will be in the Waterford Community Center Friday from 9:00 am to 10:30 am in Room 105.

Democratic lawmakers announced Thursday that 43 state legislators had signed on to an amicus brief supporting the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, which the U.S. Supreme will consider in March.

The high court will consider whether the federal government has the authority to mandate that people buy health insurance. If that provision of the law is deemed unconstitutional, the court will have to decide whether the rest of the act must also be torn down.

The Connecticut legislators join over 500 lawmakers from all 50 states to lend support to the brief, which argues the law allows the states enough flexibility in shaping reform issues to remain constitutional.

Rep. Betsy Ritter, co-chairwomen of Public Health Committee, said the act was far from being a violation of state sovereignty.

Hugh McQuaid Photo

“Rather, it is an example of a constructive federalism, with a federal government in a position to provide a national solution. A national solution to a national problem,” she said.

The law preserves the ability of states to design policies that are suited for their communities and economies, she said. Ritter said as the law has been rolled out, the federal government has provided states with flexibility virtually every time it has had the opportunity to do so.

“The constitution gives broad power to the federal government to act in cases like this when a national solution is necessary,” she said.

Sen. Terry Gerratana, the Public Health Committees other chairwoman, said the challenges to the law have only served to cause doubt and confusion.

Reached by phone, House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero said the fact that Democrats turned out to support the law didn’t surprise him. But he said it is up to the Supreme Court to determine whether the provisions of the law are constitutional or not.

Neither he nor the Democrats are constitutional experts and the “Obamacare” bill was so complex that many of the people who passed it likely didn’t understand it, he said.

At the state Capitol press conference, lawmakers and State Healthcare Advocate Victoria Veltri listed ways the reform act was already helping people in Connecticut.

Veltri said a $400,000 grant provided by the act has helped her office more than double its caseload. That provision of the act was actually modeled after the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, she said.

Veltri told a story of a 13 year-old girl who tried to commit suicide three times. After the third attempt she was hospitalized at a psychiatric unit. However, her insurer tried to deny that she needed ongoing coverage after three days because the girl had told staff she no longer wanted to kill herself, Veltri said.

Veltri said her office appealed the case several times as the insurer continued to try to deny coverage. The decision was eventually reversed and the company had to pay the hospital $80,000 for the girl’s care, she said.

“We could not have done that case without the Affordable Care act because the Affordable Care Act funded the person who handled this case,” she said.

House Speaker Chris Donovan said provisions of the law were already stopping insurance companies from denying Connecticut children coverage for pre-existing conditions as well as keeping them from dropping someone’s coverage when they get sick.

The law also helped the state balance the budget by providing over $20 million in federal grants for state retiree health care, he said.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget director Ben Barnes said if the high court decided to strike down the law it would create some problems for the state in the short term. For instance it would prevent it from launching the new Health Insurance Exchange Board. He said the long term implications would be “disastrous.”

“We would remain committed to implementing health care reform but our ability to implement it would be significantly hurt,” he said.

Cafero said it bothered him that the law seems to give the IRS more say in health care than doctors. But he said there parts of the reform that he liked including the pre-existing condition provision as well as the affordable health insurance section.

“There are certain things that are good,” he said. “We just need to get rid of ones that aren’t constitutional and hopefully preserve the good parts.”

Either way, Cafero said he hoped to see a ruling soon so the state could move on and comply with whatever the court decides.

Forty-three Connecticut lawmakers joined a group of more than 500 legislators in various states who support federal health reform as it faces a legal challenge that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in March.

The sweeping law enacted in March 2010 includes an "individual mandate" that every American must have health insurance — forcing many to buy it — by 2014, or pay a penalty. A legal challenge brought by 26 states to the Supreme Court says the mandate is an overreach of federal authority, and the entire law should be tossed as a result.

Connecticut legislators gathered Thursday afternoon at the legislative office building in Hartford to say they were among the hundreds to sign an amicus brief supporting the Affordable Care Act. They said the Constitution gives broad power to the federal government to act in cases where a national solution is necessary. State legislators are working in conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform and the Progressive States Network.

"We cannot afford to lose the progress already made by giving in to political pressures that in the end will only hurt working families, small businesses and seniors," said co-chair of the legislature's Public Health Committee, state Rep. Besty Ritter, D-Waterford.

House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, added, "we back our Congress."

State Healthcare Advocate Victoria Veltri said her office has been given federal funds made available through health care reform's consumer-assistance grants. As a result, her office's case load has more than doubled, allowing the state agency to intervene on behalf of consumers when they have a dispute with their health insurer. In many cases, the advocate's office recoups money that consumers pay out of pocket for health expenses that consumers believe should have been covered by their insurers.

"It also doubled the savings that went back to consumers in one year," Veltri said. "Just that $400,000 from the federal grant brought in $5.7 million."

In conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform, hundreds of lawmakers from across the nation joined forces to announce and demonstrate their support of the Amicus Brief. The legislators’ brief argues that the Constitution gives broad power to the federal government to act in cases where a national solution is necessary. The ACA capitalizes on state innovations by setting a minimum coverage floor and giving states considerable policy flexibility.

The ACA has already provided benefits to children with pre-existing conditions, who can no longer be denied health insurance; individuals who cannot be kicked off their policies when they get sick; and young adults who can stay on their parents’ policies until age 26. More residents will save money on their health care when the law is fully implemented in 2014.

“It is time to stand strong and support the Affordable Care Act law that has brought much relief to Connecticut residents as well as American citizens across our nation,” Ritter said. “We cannot afford to lose the progress already made by giving in to political pressures that in the end will only hurt working families, small businesses and seniors. We will continue to push forward in implementing the Act so that our families can get the care they need.”

"It is essential that United States citizens be guaranteed access to healthcare, and in this country that means having health insurance. While challenges have been made, they are only causing doubt and confusion for our citizenry, long before full enactment of the law," said State Senator Gerratana. "Connecticut is working to achieve the goals of federal healthcare law and coverage for all our citizens. This is proper and should continue without delay or distraction."

“I am proud that our state is moving forward to implement the Affordable Care Act. It is making a difference in the lives of our constituents already: thousands have benefitted from the protections against insurance company abuses, lower out of pocket costs for seniors and tax credits for small employers,” Speaker Donovan said. “Health care is a national problem that no state has been able to solve alone—it requires a federal partner and a national solution. Our implementation efforts should not be derailed by baseless constitutional challenges.”

Victoria Veltri stated, "The Affordable Care Act puts consumers first, and I am proud, as the State’s Healthcare Advocate, to stand by that legislation today. Connecticut consumers benefit from reforms that go beyond the ACA’s insurance reforms to include broader healthcare reforms such as patient centered medical homes, health information technology and healthcare work force initiatives. OHA’s consumer assistance program grant under the ACA is directly responsible for putting an additional $5.7 million put back into the pockets of Connecticut’s healthcare consumers and educating hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents about their healthcare rights."

The show of support for the Affordable Care Act in Connecticut was part of a larger demonstration of support for the law across the nation this week, as over 500 state legislators representing all 50 states signed on to the Amicus Brief defending the law. The brief will be filed this Friday and was prepared in conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform (a national group of state legislators working to advance health reform and implement the Affordable Care Act), Progressive States Network, and the Constitutional Accountability Center.

The full text of the Amicus Brief will be available at: www.progressivestates.org/ACAamicus

The sessions will give residents an opportunity to discuss issues important to them and address any concerns with Rep. Ritter as the 2012 legislative session gets underway.

“I look forward to greeting residents that come in to share their concerns, suggestions for legislation and those who need help with state issues,” Rep. Ritter said. “I would also love to see anyone who just wants to stop by to say hello as well. The best ideas come from the people I represent, and this past session I was able to see a record number of my constituents' ideas addressed by the legislature.”

The Montville meeting will take place in the Montville Town Council Chambers from 9:00am to 10:30am, and the Waterford meeting will be in the Waterford Public Library downstairs conference room from 4:30pm to 6:00pm.

“I am pleased to see Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Roderick Bremby’s decision to maintain full access to oral oncology drugs for our medical assistance program consumers, preserving their access to the full range of oral chemotherapies chosen by their doctors to best treat their particular cancers.

It was heartening to see so many of my fellow legislators join me in supporting this decision. Connecticut is the home of some of the best pharmaceutical research in the world and it is rewarding to know that we are ready and willing to use the results of that research in the care of our residents.”

The P&T committee recently met to review oral oncology medicines as a new class of agents that had not been included on the Preferred Drug List (PDL). The meeting, facilitated by Provider Synergies recommended only seven of the thirteen currently existing oral oncology drugs to be on the new PDL for submission to federal DSS Secretary Evelyn Dudley.

“We are extremely concerned about this decision and are hoping to get a chance to make some changes to the recommended list,” Ritter said. “Having to deal with a family member or a friend stricken by cancer is devastating enough. We should be able to provide as many options as possible for their treatment. Not less.”

A Preferred Drug List is a pharmaceutical cost-saving measure used in the healthcare industry. A PDL means that specific medications on the list are automatically approved for payment by Medicaid, without the need for generic substitutions or prior authorization of payment for a brand name drug.

The letter sent to the commissioner is attached.

Ritter said, “I am delighted to be recognized by the League of Conservations Voters and to meet their criteria again this year. I will certainly keep my commitment to doing what I can to help our fragile environment.”

CTLCV’s Environmental Scorecard assesses both lawmakers’ votes on environmental legislation and their roles in championing specific issues. Twelve bills dealing with environmental issues were presented this year including some that passed such as banning the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) in thermal receipts, a program to collect paint and paint containers for disposal, a forest conservation program and clean energy legislation.

CTLCV Co-Chair David Bingham said of the legislators who received high scores, “despite the pressures of economic distress, they upheld policies that are critical to providing clean air and water and make Connecticut an inviting state to do business.”

“I am very pleased we went ahead and passed these bills today,” Rep. Ritter stated.  They build infrastructure for our economy, represent a change in the way Connecticut supports its businesses and indicate our clear commitment to science, technology and research.  They will provide benefits for CT for years to come.”

The goal of the legislation is to jump-start job creation and foster long-term economic growth. Incentives for small business, cutting red tape, incentives for innovation, economic development tools and workforce development and training are all addressed in the bill.

One of the key components of the legislation is the Small Business Express Package which will make $50 million/year available to small businesses through incentives, grants and loans.

“Small business is extremely essential to our economy,” Rep. Ritter said. “Investing in the future of our state’s small businesses is critical to our continued economic growth.”

Another vital component is aligning programs at vo-tech schools, community colleges and universities with high demand job needs of employers, including the state’s manufacturing technology companies.

Other components of the jobs bill include:

• Consolidating and increasing the tax credit for new hires
• Incentivizing investments in emerging technology (Angel Investors)
• Building innovation centers in key cities and investing in innovative ventures
• A second “First Five” program
• Cutting the business entity tax
• Streamlining the business permitting process
• Remediating old industrial sites/brownfields
• Computer upgrades to foster seamless communication between business and the state
• Workforce development, education and training
• Allowing the  Airport Authority to designate new Development Zones
• Investments in roads and bridges
• Replenishing the Manufacturing Assistance Act (MAA)
• Main Street commercial centers improvement initiative

In addition, the legislature signed off on Jackson Laboratory’s plan to build a $1.1 billion research facility at the UConn Health Center campus in Farmington. The State of Connecticut will invest $291 million and Jackson Laboratory will raise the balance of $860 million for the project.

According to the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), the project is expected to create over 660 positions at Jackson Laboratory in Farmington within 20 years. DECD estimates more than 4,600 bioscience jobs would be generated through spin-off companies, and another 2,000 would be added to local service and area retail stores. The project would yield more than 840 construction jobs as well.

The Working Group on Small Business Health Care, comprised of small businesses and legislators, will examine obstacles and opportunities for small business owners seeking to purchase health insurance coverage for their employees and their own families.

Rep. B. Ritter (Left) and Rep. R. Megna during Health Care Working Group meeting on October 11, 2011.

“Unaffordable health care has been a major challenge for small businesses to stay competitive,” Ritter said. “Speaker Donovan has taken the initiative to put this group together, and I am honored to be a part of it. I look forward to contributing ideas, along with my colleagues and the business leaders in the group, and identifying solutions to make health care a more affordable benefit to the business community.”

The Speaker has charged the working group with reviewing small group insurance regulations, the market’s current offerings, the barriers that small business owners face when attempting to secure quality affordable health coverage, the impact of health insurance access on job growth in this sector, and alternative health insurance models. The group will assemble a set of legislative recommendations on how best to address the health insurance needs of the small business workforce.

“As health care costs have grown, small businesses have had to drop and cut coverage or sacrifice job growth,” Speaker Donovan said. “Some can’t attract and retain talented employees because quality health insurance is unaffordable. We need to determine how to make health insurance for small businesses affordable, but also easily comparable, available, accessible, and meaningful.”

Rep. Ritter and Governor Malloy during bill signing ceremony in the Governor's office.

House Bill 6481 addresses the lack of information and coordination available in diagnosing and treating individuals dealing with this disease.

“I am extremely pleased Governor Malloy has signed this important legislation to help us bring awareness and provide information about this condition,” Ritter stated. “I was touched by so many people who shared their personal stories or that of loved ones in our Public Health Committee, particularly those who didn’t even know they had it and missed essential early treatment.”

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, lupus is an acute and chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually every organ in the body, including the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys and brain.

Ritter said, “This advisory panel is the first step in assessing our current educational resources and determining what needs to be modified in order to get more people informed about this condition. I look forward to hearing about the panel’s progress, findings and recommendations.”

With an agreement between stakeholders and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration to move forward with a pared down version of SustiNet, supporters are slowly getting back on board.

On Tuesday the National Physicians Alliance will deliver a letter to Malloy and legislative leaders urging them to support SustiNet, which begins to pool together state employees, municipal employees, and nonprofits.

“We are frustrated to work in a system where our patients cannot afford needed treatments and where our patients are frequently denied the care they deserve,” the 55 Connecticut physicians wrote in their letter. “SustiNet will deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes prevention and self-management of chronic conditions, and will use state-of-the-art electronic medical records to monitor care.”

“In Connecticut, we pay too much for too little quality in our fragmented and irrational system,“ Dr. Julie Rosenbaum, a Fairfield resident who practices in Waterbury and teaches at Yale School of Medicine, explained. “SustiNet is a prime opportunity to improve how we care for our patients.”

But not all doctor groups agree. The Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Cardiology said an amendment adopted in March by the Public Health Committee stripped away the medical malpractice liability protections for doctors participating in the plan. Currently doctors practicing in federally funded community health centers and hospitals run by public colleges are afforded medical malpractice liability protections.

“Certainly we were disappointed when the malpractice reform provisions were stripped from the bill and we are continuing work on that issue. But we remain steadfastly committed to realizing the promise of SustiNet for all Connecticut patients and physicians,” Rosenbaum said.

The Connecticut State Medical Society comprised of mostly specialty and primary care physicians in small or solo practices continues to remain concerned about the medical malpractice portion of the legislation.

Audrey Honig Geragosian, communications director for the Connecticut State Medical Society, said her organization worked closely with SustiNet supporters for two years on drafting the legislation, but had to rethink its support once the malpractice protections were stripped from the bill. She said since that happened the organization has remained concerned and is reserving judgment until they see a final draft.

While the fate of the legislation is still unknown there were several provisions of the bill, including the additional employees needed to implement it, which were already adopted in the budget signed by Malloy on May 4. However, legislation is still needed to implement the structure of the organization which will be overseen by the lieutenant governor and a new office of Health Reform and Innovation.

Under the compromise version of SustiNet 21 voting members will comprise the Governor’s SustiNet Health Care Cabinet, which will be responsible for deciding whether the plan should be expanded to include small business and individuals, as originally envisioned by the legislation.

Juan Figueroa, president of the Universal Health Care Foundation, which was instrumental in drafting the legislation and the concept said last week that the policy board will make recommendations by July 2012. He said the group will also be responsible for recommending a business plan. He said the work of the group will be done before the federal exchanges are in place in 2014—a victory for the group that was blindsided by Malloy’s decision not to support the original legislation.

Rep. Besty Ritter, D-Waterford, said last week that she wanted to see all populations covered by SustiNet and didn’t want to give up anything proposed in the original legislation.

“I’m happy to see there are actually budgeted positions,” Ritter said. “Did I get everything I wanted? No. My concern continues to be small businesses and uninsured individuals.”

Eric George, associate counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said the compromise version of SustiNet doesn’t have a public option because the governor did the math and figured out the state couldn’t afford it.

He applauded Malloy for recognizing that real health care reform happened at the federal level with the exchanges and by focusing on those it may become obvious Connecticut doesn’t need to move forward with a public option.

The Homeowner’s Mortgage Crisis Info Session will take place Wednesday, May 25 from 8:30 am-9:30 am at New London CT Works-East, Shaw’s Cove Six in New London.

Local residents will be sharing their personal experiences with the program and how beneficial it has been to them in their decision to keep their existing mortgage.

“I encourage area homeowners to put this date on their agenda to come and find out how this program can help them,” Ritter stated. “We are still dealing with some very difficult economic times and many people face heavy financial pressures. I strongly invite area residents to explore every possible option before they make final decisions that will have strong impact for their families and communities.”

“This program could provide a critical lifeline to homeowners who may be struggling to keep up,” added State Rep. Ed Jutila (D-East Lyme/Salem). “This is a great opportunity to learn important lessens from the experts, as well as from the experiences of other homeowners.”

“Anything that we can do to help people stay in their homes will not only make our communities stronger, but in the long run will contribute to economic stability and growth,” said Rep. Diane Urban (D-North Stonington/Stonington).

“The health of any given community is directly proportional to the stake citizens feel in their neighborhoods,” Rep. Ernest Hewett (D-New London) said. “Programs that support property owners’ ability to keep their mortgage payments up to date and their peace of mind intact are of utmost importance to a properly functioning municipality.”

The program will offer job training opportunities to help homeowners get back on an earnings course that supports home ownership.

House Bill 6481 would address the lack of information and coordination available in diagnosing and treating individuals dealing with this disease.

“We received very strong and deeply moving testimony from people around the state who came to support this legislation in our Public Health Committee,” Ritter said. “Education is definitely a great start. One of the scariest aspects of Lupus is the fact that many of those who have it are often unaware and miss important early treatment that can make all the difference in their lives.”

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, lupus is an acute and chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually every organ in the body, including the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys and brain.

The bill now moves to the senate for consideration.

Two years ago, a coalition of consumer health advocates, union members, doctors, medical students and the AARP converged on the state Capitol in Hartford seeking passage of a bill that would prevent the sale of information about doctors' prescribing habits for commercial purposes.

For years, pharmacies have sold electronic prescription records, with patients' names encrypted, to medical data providers. These companies sell the information to pharmaceutical firms, which use them to market drugs to doctors. Among the world's leading data providers - sometimes known as "data miners" - is Norwalk-based IMS Health Inc.

With doctors' identifying information and prescribing patterns in hand, pharmaceutical sales representatives, or drug detailers, can tailor their pitches and drive sales. Patient advocates and state officials say that data mining also drives up health care costs.

But around the country, a cloud of legal uncertainty had stalled data mining bills in their tracks. Laws enacted in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont had been challenged, and judicial decisions were unfolding. And what had started as a consumer protection matter had grown into a question of First Amendment rights.

According to the groups challenging the laws, the data mining companies and PhRMA, a drug industry trade group based in Washington, restrictions on the use of prescriber data violate their constitutional right to free speech.

"It was unclear at the time how things would turn out judicially for those laws," said state Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, who as Public Health Committee co-chair had fought for Connecticut's data mining bill and watched it drop off the calendar at the end of the 2009 legislative session. When the constitutionality of a statute is in question, she added, "states tend to wait for direction from the courts."

Their wait may soon be over. On April 26 the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc. et. al, on the constitutionality of Vermont's data mining law. A decision is expected in June.

Vermont doctors take a stand

In the fall of 2006, Vermont's largest physician organization brought its concern about data mining to the state legislature. Having recently become aware of the practice, the Vermont Medical Society condemned it as "an intrusion into the way physicians practice medicine." Doctors complained of being spied on.

Vermont legislators found additional reasons to be concerned. The drug industry's success with prescriber profiles had clearly taken a toll on the state's cost-containment efforts. As drug companies increased their sales force and marketing budgets - the industry now spends $8 billion a year on direct marketing to doctors - spending on prescription drugs in Vermont nearly doubled between 2000 and 2005, according to legal briefs filed in court.

A sizable portion of the spending increase could be attributed to marketing-induced shifts in prescribing - from existing, lower-cost treatments to newer, more expensive drugs. The same shift toward newer drugs raised safety concerns as well, since a drug's harmful side effects can take several years to become known, the documents say.

Vermont's data mining law takes aim at pharmacies and drug companies, restricting them from selling or using prescribers' personal information for promoting prescription drugs. And it carries a provision for doctors who do want their data used that allows them to indicate their consent at any time.

Before the statute could take effect, IMS and the others filed suit. The law was upheld in the U.S. District Court in Vermont but later overturned by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, setting the stage for a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Defining 'speech'

In asserting that data mining is entitled to First Amendment protection, IMS must convince the court that the data it collects and packages is "speech."

"The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that when you give facts from one person to another, you're speaking," said Thomas C. Goldstein, lead attorney for respondents IMS, Verispan (now SDI Inc.), and Source Healthcare Analytic. He argues that data information companies deserve the highest level of First Amendment protection in that they provide "truthful information on matters of public concern."

In upholding New Hampshire's data mining law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that data and speech are not the same. The sale of prescription information is commercial conduct, said Circuit Judge Bruce M. Selya, much like the sale of beef jerky. The First Amendment protects neither from regulation.

This story was reported by the Connecticut Health Investigative Team under an agreement with The Day. To read a longer version of this article go to www.c-hit.org.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's new plan to tax all electricity generators at the same rate would avert a shutdown of Millstone Power Station, the reactor owner said Thursday, because the proposed $40 million tax would be more manageable than a competing tax that targets nuclear power.

Under Malloy's plan, Millstone owner Dominion would pay the $40 million in a temporary, two-year tax designed to generate

$72 million in revenue from all the state's electricity generators, Dominion spokesman Ken Holt said. The Energy & Technology Committee had proposed a $332 million tax on Millstone, which the plant owner said would force it to close down its two operating reactors in Waterford.

State Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, who co-chairs the Energy & Technology Committee, acknowledged Thursday there is no longer support for that tax.

But Fonfara said he still plans to challenge Malloy's proposal next week, because he thinks its cost, unlike the committee's plan, will be passed on to consumers. "We don't believe (Malloy) wants to have electric rates go higher, but that will be the result of his current proposal," Fonfara said.

Fair and balanced

Holt said Dominion understands the need for the $40 million tax, "and we appreciate the challenge Gov. Malloy has in developing a balanced budget for the state under such difficult circumstances."

Holt said the tax proposal limits the potential negative effect on consumers and businesses, will address the state's short-term financial needs and is applied to electricity generators in a much more balanced and fair manner.

Dominion would "absorb the costs" of the new tax, and doesn't plan any rate increases or cutbacks at Millstone because of it, as it did under the energy committee's plan, Holt said. The nuclear complex and its two operating reactors directly employ 1,080 people and about 350 independent contractors.

On Wednesday, Malloy and Democratic lawmakers said they had reached a deal on a two-year $40 billion budget plan, although negotiations with state workers for about $1 billion a year in possible concessions have not yet ended.

Malloy's energy tax plan would apply to all forms of electricity generation except renewables, such as wind and solar power.

The proposal, which Malloy budget chief Ben Barnes said is based on talks with legislative leadership and the chairmen of the budget and finance committees, would tax electricity at .0025 cents a kilowatt hour in the next two fiscal years beginning July 1, up from his original proposal of .002 cents per kWh.

Dominion had said Malloy's original proposal would have cost it roughly $30 million.

In contrast, the proposal led by Fonfara and state Rep. Vickie Nardello, D-Cheshire, co-chairmen of the energy committee, would have charged Dominion 2 cents a kilowatt hour and lesser rates on oil and coal sources.

Lawmakers, including state Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, expressed confidence that the targeted tax on nuclear is "off the table."

"I am getting from the legislature as a whole that that would not be well received," Ritter said. "It was a punishing message to send to other groups, to anybody else who happens to make money in the state."

Passing on costs?

Fonfara said Thursday he still thinks his energy committee's $340 million tax proposal on nuclear, oil and coal was a good one, since Dominion would still have earned several hundred million dollars after paying the tax, and some of the tax would have been given back to ratepayers by the state.

Fonfara said Malloy's method will raise rates on consumers because natural gas generators are most likely to pass on their costs to consumers.

Kleen Energy power plant developer William Corvo Consultants Inc. of Middletown also argues that Malloy's proposed tax will eventually be passed on to ratepayers. It puts a "disproportionate" burden on natural gas plants like theirs, and would be paid primarily by five of the 40 companies generating electricity in Connecticut, he said.

"There needs to be an intelligent and mathematical analysis done on the impact of this tax, because you may be putting some of your natural gas plants out of business," said William Corvo in a telephone interview.

In opposing the larger $332 million Millstone tax, Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward informed lawmakers by letter that the town is already experiencing trouble with bond ratings because of its potential implications. Steward also noted that ultimately, ratepayers will end up paying for any tax increase.

"My expectation is that users will get charged for the tax somehow, but it would be a much lesser charge" under the Malloy plan, Steward said. "Going forward, when (Dominion does) renegotiate their contracts, we'll get charged for it one way or the other."

The Millstone Power Station, which employs 1,080 people at its Waterford complex, generates $1.2 billion a year in economic benefits, including $122 million in capital spending and tax revenues of nearly $34 million, according to a study commissioned by owner Dominion.

Dominion has been touting the nuclear complex's economic impact in Connecticut to lawmakers as it continues to fight a plan to tax its production of electricity. The company is opposing a legislative proposal that would tax the electric output of Millstone at 2 cents a kilowatt hour, or as much as $335 million a year.

Dominion has said the tax, if passed, would force the company to shut down one, if not both, reactors. Millstone's two nuclear reactors generate 2,100 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to supply about 500,000 homes.

The economic impact study by Chmura Economics & Analytics of Richmond, Va., was completed in late March. Dominion periodically reviews Millstone's economic impact on the community and decided to seek revisions of outdated figures when the tax proposal was introduced "so that we had current numbers to talk about when discussing the bill," said company spokesman Ken Holt.

"It's absolutely valuable to (Connecticut)," state Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, said of the study. "When we look at tax policy, you have to evaluate the economic impacts. These are big numbers, so I think it needs to be part of the discussion."

Chmura found in its study that Millstone operations produce about $1.1 billion in economic benefits to the state each year, which supports 3,315 jobs. The company's capital spending alone at Millstone produces about $122 million annually in economic benefits and supports another 915 jobs, the report stated.

The study looked at both direct impact, such as jobs at the plant, as well as indirect and "induced" impacts, such as products from suppliers and workers spending their earnings as consumers.

In total, the study found that Millstone supports 4,230 jobs a year.

Over the past three years, Dominion has invested an average of $90 million annually at Millstone and is likely to continue to invest similar amounts, Chmura found.

In addition, the nuclear complex generates as much as $33.6 million a year in state and local taxes. Those estimates are conservative, relying only on tax revenues from direct impacts, according to the study consultant.

The analysis "clearly demonstrates that Millstone has a huge impact on Connecticut's economy as a whole - especially on the local area," said Holt. "Not only does the station directly support the community with spending and jobs, but that spending also creates jobs in the community."

Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward said earlier this week that Dominion represents about 30 percent of the town's tax base. The uncertainty surrounding the tax and the potential plant shutdown may already be costing the town money as it issues bonds for school projects, he said.

State Representatives Elizabeth Ritter (D-Waterford & Montville), Susan Johnson (D-Windham) and Gregory Haddad (D-Mansfield, Chaplin) held a health care issues forum at Generations Family Health Center in Willimantic tonight.

Johnson, who is Vice Chair of the legislature’s Insurance & Real Estate Committee, discussed the need to lower the cost of health insurance for the state’s small businesses.

“If we want to keep jobs in the state and attract more jobs, we need to lower the cost of doing business in Connecticut. Our small businesses are being squeezed by skyrocketing health insurance costs,” said Johnson. “That’s why we are working at the capitol to give our small businesses access to quality health insurance at lower rates by allowing them to join the state employee health insurance plan.”

Johnson was referring to legislation (HB 6308) that would allow small businesses, municipalities, and non-profits to voluntarily join the state employee health insurance plan. Similar legislation was approved by the General Assembly in 2009, but was strongly opposed by Republicans and vetoed by Governor Rell. The lawmakers are optimistic with a new governor that the legislation will become law this year.

The state lawmakers discussed other health insurance reforms being considered at the legislature this year including legislation (HB 6305) implementing the SustiNet Plan which coordinates the state’s healthcare spending to improve quality and slow cost growth. It also leverages the strength of the state’s existing healthcare programs and federal dollars to create a non-profit health insurance choice for municipalities, private employers and households.

“Improving access to quality, affordable healthcare is an ongoing challenge and one of government’s most basic and important responsibilities,” said Haddad. “This forum is a great way to let people know about how we are trying to provide more efficient delivery of healthcare services at a lower cost.”

Another bill (HB 6323) would update the state’s insurance laws to allow Connecticut residents to take advantage of several consumer protections contained in the new federal health care law, including an expansion of coverage for dependents through age 26, prohibitions on pre-existing conditions for children and unreasonable lifetime coverage limits.

State Representative Betsy Ritter (D-Waterford/Montville), the House Chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, joined the area legislators at the forum.

“I am delighted to participate with my colleagues in this forum to share information about healthcare laws currently before the legislature,” Ritter said. “It's critically important that Connecticut moves now to take maximum advantage of federal funds from healthcare reform and use these funds to increase access to quality, affordable healthcare for our residents. Community discussions are always a wonderful forum to share information, opinions, and feedback to help us make better decisions.”

Legislation (SB 1204, SB 921, HB 6323) is also moving forward to establish a health insurance exchange in Connecticut, which will better organize the health insurance marketplace to help individuals and small businesses access more options, easily compare plans, and use economies of scale to secure competitive rates for quality insurance.

Waterford - The owner of Millstone Power Station sought to reassure concerned residents Monday night that it is working to put potentially vulnerable spent fuel from one closed reactor into safe, dry storage on site.

Tim Martin/The Day
Fern Fullmer of Niantic, second from left, listens to Dominion officials Monday, April 11, 2011, during a meeting with the public at Waterford Town Hall on safety issues at the Millstone Power Complex in Waterford.

A crowd of more than 150 people at Waterford Town Hall included an unidentified woman who said she wasn't convinced by Millstone owner Dominion executives' premise that the two operating Unit 2 and 3 reactors and the closed Unit 1 reactor could withstand a natural catastrophe like the earthquake and tsunami that wrecked still-troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors in Japan.

And later, a former contractor with Dominion criticized company management for not protecting him when he reported an employee was abusing prescription drugs. The contractor said he was the unjustly fired, he said.

Skip Jordan, site vice president, and Dan Weekley, Dominion vice president of governmental affairs, spent an hour discussing safety and a proposed tax on electric production at Millstone before fielding questions in the Town Hall auditorium. The meeting was still going on late Monday night.

Jordan and Weekley started by discussing the used fuel that sits in Unit 1, a boiling water reactor not unlike those at the Fukushima station. Millstone's two operating reactors, which are pressurized water reactors, are safer, Jordan said, because they have primary and secondary cooling systems to keep the plants cool.

But Nancy Burton, a Mystic resident speaking on her own behalf and not in her role as director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone, wanted to know why Dominion isn't moving the spent fuel from Unit 1 immediately into an alternate type of storage known as dry cask storage. She lives outside the 10-mile radius that would be evacuated in event of a major calamity at Millstone, she said.

The crowd at times attacked her for trying to ask five questions instead of one, but John Markowicz, executive director of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region and a Waterford resident, echoed her concern.

"What's the chance of the spent fuel being moved" if the bill to tax Millstone goes through, he asked.

A proposed state tax on nuclear electricity production would charge 2 cents a kilowatt hour to Dominion, or about $335 million a year, Weekley said.

Jordan said the company is evaluating moving that fuel so that it is no longer housed above the reactor, where it is more vulnerable, but he and Weekley noted that if the tax is approved it will make it more difficult to invest in safety improvements like that.

State legislators including Sen. Andrea Stillman, Rep. Betsey Ritter and Rep. Ed Jutila said they and the entire delegation were opposed to the tax and fighting it.

The woman concerned for her family's safety in the event of a disaster by "Mother Nature," which is "damn good at creating catastrophes," wanted to know, "How do I protect my boys?"

Jordan said he has the same concern for his family and friends, many of whom live in nearby Groton, and his employees share those concerns also.

Steven Lavoie, the contractor and apparent whistleblower, said he was fired after reporting a co-worker's abuse of prescription medication.

"What is Dominion going to do about the liars in your company?" he asked. "There's corruption going on in upper management and all I was obligated to do was report it … I've had a target on my back. I want to know what you people are going to do to restructure management because people are crooked."

Jordan said the company's practice is to go through "multiple channels … (and) fully and thoroughly investigate that.

He told Lavoie his "commitment tonight is to go back and take another look at that."

One woman, Monica Rourke of Bristol, who said she was familiar with Millstone from when she worked in concrete repair in 2000, defended the nuclear complex as a well-run facility.

The conference is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of 50 states, providing research, technical assistance and opportunities for policy makers to exchange ideas of the most pressing state issues.

"Speaker Donovan has given me a great opportunity to meet with fellow colleagues from across the country to share our ideas and learn from each other as we all grapple with health care issues," Ritter said. "I am looking forward to bringing these ideas back to Connecticut."

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states providing research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas of the most pressing state issues.

“Speaker Donovan has given me a great opportunity to meet with fellow colleagues from across the country to share our ideas and learn from each other as we all grapple with healthcare issues,” Ritter said. “I am looking forward to bringing these ideas back to Connecticut.”

In appointing Rep. Ritter, Speaker Donovan said, “As House Chair of our Public Health Committee, I know you will work successfully with other state leaders to improve the legislative process for the benefit of all our citizens.”

STATE REPRESENTATIVE ELIZABETH B. "BETSY" RITTER
"SustiNet's primary strategy for slowing cost growth is overhauling Connecticut's health care delivery and payment systems. The fiscal note highlights the power of numbers to leverage health care innovation -- measures that encourage care coordination and electronic medical records -- to create savings, potentially $58.5 million for health care the state purchases."

There was a whole lot of hooting and whooping in downtown New London today as about 50 supporters of Planned Parenthood, all in pink t-shirts and holding signs saying “I stand with Planned Parenthood,” stood at the corner of Bank and State Streets, encouraging people to honk in support of women’s reproductive rights.

Judging by the almost unanimous response from passing drivers, they’re not standing alone. Organizer Gretchen Raffa of Planned Parenthood Southern New England couldn’t have been more thrilled. “This is the perfect demonstration. There are people of all ages, all genders. To see this outpouring of support, to see how important Planned Parenthood is to people,” said Raffa, pausing to gain control of her emotions, “I was not expecting this amazing turnout.”

Planned Parenthood may have a lot of support locally but the rally in New London was one of many held on Saturday to protest a lack of support at the federal level. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to the federal budget that would eliminate the Title X family planning program and bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds of any kind, including Medicaid.

To be clear, the proposal to stop funding Planned Parenthood has nothing to do with the politically controversial issue of abortion. “It’s not about abortion,” explained Rep. Betsy Ritter (D-Waterford/Montville) who, as a longtime Planned Parenthood supporter, attended the New London rally. “Federal money now can’t be used for abortions. This is funding for basic health services from Planned Parenthood … annual examinations for women, screening for breast cancer.”

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England serves more than 63,000 patients in Connecticut every year and 90 percent of those services are preventative. That includes 35,000 breast and cervical cancer screenings, and more than 100,000 STI and HIV tests a year. Many of the people Planned Parenthood serves have limited incomes—one third of Planned Parenthood’s Connecticut patients have Medicaid insurance—so the people most directly affected by federal cuts will be those who can least afford it.

As House Chair of the Public Health Committee, Ritter is concerned that losing federal funding for women’s healthcare will have wide ramifications statewide. The amendment, which has already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, will be taken up by the Senate next. Accordingly, on Friday Ritter held a press conference at the Capitol to announce that state legislators are calling for Connecticut U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman and Richard Blumenthal to oppose the amendment.

“Personally, I’m very sorry to see basic health services for women be used as a political football,” said Ritter. “This has a direct impact on health services for women. It puts a definite strain on health services and puts the onus back on the state at a time that is, quite honestly, very difficult.”

New London High School student Siete Levey, 18, is also concerned that cuts to Planned Parenthood’s funding may result in a rise in sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy rates among teens who have limited means and options. “Some schools don’t provide sex education. Some parents don’t either,” says Levey, a peer counselor for Planned Parenthood’s Students Teaching About Responsible Sexuality (STAR) program, who attended the rally. “Kids can come to us if they have questions about STDs and birth control.”

“We want them to know that Planned Parenthood is a safe place to come to and that everything is confidential,” says Shadell Pickett, 17, another STAR counselor at New London High School who went to the rally. “We don’t judge.”

That’s a message that young men need to hear too, says Daquan Miller, 17, another STAR counselor at New London High School. “They’re scared of being judged,” Miller says. “I think [birth control] is equal responsibility. I don’t think they [other young men] see it the same way. I’m trying to change that.”

In a letter signed by several lawmakers, including, Ritter, Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden), House Majority Leader Brendan S. Sharkey (D-Hamden) and President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn), Connecticut U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman and Richard Blumenthal were urged to oppose this measure and protect access to women's health care and women's health care centers.

“This is a very critical issue for women across our state,” Ritter stated. “If federal funding for Planned Parenthood is reduced or eliminated, we place in jeopardy vital medical services offered to women who rely on this organization to provide many services such as family planning and screenings.”

Ritter added, “We cannot allow these proposed cuts to move forward. Many of the patients served by Planned Parenthood are low-income families whose only medical insurance is Medicaid. The impact in CT of over 65,000 women who will lose their access to basic health services is a serious threat to an already over burdened system.”

Two amendments introduced by the Republican majority in Congress seek to eliminate all federal funding for family planning and exclude Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds including Medicaid reimbursements as a budget-cutting measure.

"To propose cutting these funds is a contradiction for those who often complain about social issues like out of wedlock pregnancies and single parenthood as economic burdens on our society," Speaker Donovan said. "Women must continue to have access to services that help them make decisions concerning their family planning."

“Cutting healthcare services such as screenings for cancer and other illnesses for millions of Americans who rely on Planned Parenthood is a bad idea that will cost more in the long run,” said Rep. Sharkey. “If funding for these basic healthcare services is cut, the result is putting people’s lives in jeopardy. We can’t let that happen.”

"The attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood is just the latest effort by national Republicans to undermine women's reproductive rights," said Senate President Donald E. Williams, "I'm confident that both of our United States Senators will stand-up against this assault and help protect women's rights in Connecticut."

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and Governor Dannel P. Malloy last month called on U.S. Speaker of the House John A. Boehner to oppose the defunding efforts.

“With Connecticut already facing painful budget cuts, there could not be a worse time to consider stripping federal funding from Planned Parenthood and other family health centers,” Wyman said. “This is simply a misguided political attack on an invaluable health care resource that helps thousands of Connecticut women every day.”

Judy Tabar, President of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England stated, “The people of Connecticut know that they can count on their elected officials to stand up for women’s health. We are deeply grateful for your strong leadership on these important issues.”

The legislation, HB 6305, An Act Concerning the Implementation of the SustiNet Plan, was voted out of the Public Health Committee and referred to Insurance Committee for further consideration.

SustiNet is a comprehensive plan that lays out a framework for leveraging the bargaining power of the state’s health care purchasing to create a larger pool open to individuals and groups. The plan creates an infrastructure for a state-wide health care delivery system while containing costs and promoting preventive care.

“Today, SustiNet gets closer to becoming a reality,” Ritter said. “We have all put a lot of energy and work in this proposal and I am delighted to see our work paying off.  I am confident that the Insurance committee will do everything they can to do support and advance this bill in the process.”

“The citizens of Connecticut deserve access to affordable, quality healthcare and we have been making key steps towards that goal,” Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan stated. “I commend Rep. Ritter and members of the Public Health Committee for their diligence in moving this bill forward.”

The General Assembly's Public Health Committee co-chairmen, Rep. Betsy Ritter (D-Waterford/Montville), and Sen. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) along with Sen. Len Fasano (R- Wallingford/North Haven/East Haven) and members of the Cord Blood task force today announced the Connecticut Cord Blood Bank is on its way to becoming a reality.

"It gives me great satisfaction when I see a new medical development evolving. It is a sign of hope to all of us, our children and our future generations," Rep. Ritter stated. "Anything we can do within our reach to bring alternative medical resources to people and their families is a step forward in our commitment to a healthier Connecticut."

"We are on the verge of making critical life-saving procedures more widely available through the Cord Blood Bank," said Rep. Jason Perillo, Ranking Member of the Public Health Committee and former Chief of Shelton's Echo Hose Ambulance Company. "This has the potential to offer some important options to those who are suffering from some of the most serious and debilitating diseases. This bank represents real hope for their treatment."

During the 2009 legislative session the Public Health Committee championed legislation requiring doctors to inform pregnant women about their cord blood banking options. This year, with the help of Senate Minority Leader Pro-Tempore Len Fasano, the group has put forward legislation making a public cord blood bank program available to families in Connecticut. If approved this would be the first public cord blood bank in the state.

"A public cord blood bank is an invaluable health resource for the people of Connecticut," said Sen. Fasano. "Expanding access to this important medical development is critical to so many families who are looking for answers as to how a loved one's life can be saved."

Cord blood is the blood that remains in your baby's umbilical cord after the cord has been cut. Doctors have discovered that cord blood, like bone marrow, is a rich source of unique stem cells that can be used in medical treatments. Stem cells are the body's "master" cells and can become any type of cell in the human body.

Cord blood banking is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parents to collect and preserve the stem cells from their baby's umbilical cord blood for potential medical uses. A newborn child's umbilical cord is rich with unique cells, similar to those found in bone marrow.

These stem cells have been successfully used to treat a growing number of diseases and conditions – from leukemia and other cancers to sickle cell disease and multiple sclerosis. There is also emerging research which indicates that these cells have the potential to effectively treat brain injury, cerebral palsy, heart disease and Type 1 diabetes. If you do not bank your baby's cord blood, it is discarded after birth.

"This is all about people helping people. These Legislators are crafting a bill to help people and give them options that will ultimately help their own family, fellow residents of this state or others from around the nation, "said Winston A. Campbell, M.D., UConn Health Center John Dempsey Hospital.

Right now, according to the Cord Blood Registry, Connecticut is one of only 17 states in the country to have implemented legislation promoting education and awareness on the benefits of cord blood banking as recommended by the Institutes of Medicine.

"There is a statewide and nationwide crisis with respect to availability and ready access to bone marrow stem cells, particularly among African Americans and other minority patients. As a state it is critical that we focus our attention on building a public umbilical cord blood bank in order to provide potentially life-saving treatment options for those who need them the most," said Dr. Charles Lockwood, Yale University School of Medicine.

The public cord blood bank would open doors for so many patients looking for a donor match. A successful match can help provide people diagnosed with disease the opportunity to have a lifesaving stem cell transplant. Many families are unaware that they have the option to donate the cord blood free of charge, rather than allow it to be discarded. The option gave the Mitchell family of Cheshire hope.

"The only reason we became aware that donating umbilical cord blood was an option was because Kacey needed a transplant, but did not have an eligible match in the entire national bone marrow registry," said Kristina Mitchell. "As an alternative, her doctors searched for stem cells stored in public cord blood banks. Receiving a stem cell transplant was the only option to cure Kacey's rare form of pediatric cancer."

Though 2- year old Kacey Rose Mitchell was able to receive a transplant using umbilical cord blood cells donated to a public bank, her pediatric cancer was extremely aggressive and she passed before reaching 3 years of age. Through Kasey's journey the Mitchells realized all families deserve to have every option available to them and having a public cord blood bank simply makes sense.

Kristina Mitchell said, "We implore all of you to embrace this unique humanitarian opportunity to become 'part of the solution' in saving lives in the near future and for generations to come."

Through an independent board and a combination of public and private donations, along with a partnership between Yale-New Haven Hospital and University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey Hospital, a Connecticut cord blood bank is on its way to becoming a reality.

The Public Health Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed legislation Wednesday March 2, in the LOB room 1D at 10 am.

Hartford - While certain constituencies were pleased with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's budget message Wednesday, others, on both sides of the aisle, questioned whether the taxpayers would buy what the governor was selling.

"Look, I thought as far as speeches go it was a very good speech. He laid out the basic principles upon which he derived his decisions, and I don't think I would disagree with any of those principles," said state Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Southport. "I still think that at the end of the day, Gov. Malloy relies too much on tax increases and not enough on spending cuts."

Speaking from the other side of the aisle, state Rep. Diana S. Urban, D-North Stonington, said she thought the tax increases would be a hard sell.

"First of all, I'm getting hammered with e-mails already about increases in taxes," she said. "And one of the most important things is to try to give people a broader perspective: We've lost 100,000 jobs in Connecticut in a recession that we haven't seen the likes of in years.

"That being said, I think the governor's made a herculean effort here to try to care and not impact the most needy and still make this budget work," Urban said.

She applauded the progressive tax, but was not as enthusiastic about the sales tax, which is regressive, but, she said, "I haven't done the numbers, but I think it will equal out in the end. A lot of that money (from the sales tax) will be coming from people that can afford luxuries."

Urban was also pleased with Malloy's proposal to give an earned income tax credit to the working poor.

"That was Ronald Reagan's signature. It gives them an incentive to work, and as the lowest-income consumers, they spend nearly everything," which puts money back into the economy.

As to the concessions the governor is seeking from state employees, she was cautiously optimistic.

"We're talking a billion dollars. Divide that by the state employees, and you're looking at a big hit. I think he's showing an enormous amount of courage," Urban said. "I would think this is a negotiating position to let the unions know where he stands.

"The budget depends on it, and he sounded pretty firm," she said. "We need a leader with steely resolve, and I think he's got it."

Getting his budget through the state legislature, though, may be another matter, Urban said, referring to it as "the proverbial herding kittens, trying to get us all to go in the same direction."

McKinney indicated, however, that it's Malloy's failure to propose more spending cuts is what stands out for him.

Pointing out that while spending in the general fund may be slightly lower, overall spending will be 2.5 percent higher in the coming fiscal year than this year, McKinney said, "We're still spending more in the first year of Gov. Malloy's budget to run our state than we did under the last year of Gov. (M. Jodi) Rell's budget, and I think that's not going to resonate well with people when they look at … the higher taxes they're being asked to pay.

"I think when you look at it in total…. And it's the largest tax increase that's ever been proposed, that's a starting point to say it's too much. When you look at $1.5 billion in tax increases versus $800 million in operational budget cuts, to me the ratio is out of balance."

The success of the governor's proposed budget hinges not only on those tax hikes but on concessions from state employees. With respect to the latter, McKinney was a little more optimistic.

"With respect to concessions, I think the governor was very strong. His target of $2 billion over two years is aggressive but reachable. And he was very clear that we don't have any other choice, we have to do this. And he's right," McKinney said.

"We as Republicans have talked about the fact that our state employee wages, benefits and health care are simply unaffordable and unsustainable for the state of Connecticut," he said. "When you compare job for job what the state pays in wages. When you compare benefit for benefit and health care for health care what the state provides, on any measure we're above the private sector in benefits and health care, and now for many jobs we're also equal to or higher than wages in the private sector. That's not sustainable."

But, McKinney said, he thinks state employees might be persuaded if they understand where they stand.

"If I said we're going to change a state employee benefit plan to save $300 million, you'd say, 'Wow, that's a lot of money. How are you going to do that?' But when you say we're going to give you exactly what the federal government gives its employees, that's still better than most if not all private plans… So it's a matter of how you look at it."

State Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, said she was impressed by the governor's "heroic job of presenting a budget that's balanced, and he clearly made a huge amount of effort to share that pain as widely and broadly as he felt he could.

But mention the tax hikes, and Ritter groans.

"I would say no stone was left unturned for better or for worse," she said. "I think there will be a lot of discussion about those tax hikes and if indeed they are falling as fairly as possible. It's extremely discouraging, but I'd be lying if I told you differently.

"I was relieved that the numbers worked out that we have a chance to get the state on a reasonable financial footing. It's hard to keep that thought in mind. I think the budget including those taxes helps us to get there. Do I like them? Of course not."

Did Ritter think Democrats would support Malloy's budget?

"I think there's a lot of feelings of encouragement that the administration will be willing to sit down and go through this information in a timely manner," she said. "I do think that we've been able to start off from the same starting line.

"That tells you that we're standing at the bottom of Mount Everest looking up at the top."

Led by Public Health Committee House Chair, State Rep. Betsy Ritter (D-Waterford/Montville), Insurance House Chair, Rep. Robert Megna (D-New Haven) and Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-New Britain), Human Services House Chair, testimony was heard, including from Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) on sweeping health insurance reform measures on the legislative agenda this session.

“With major changes on the horizon in the way we think about and provide healthcare, innovative legislation that provides for preventative care, lowering costs and increasing efficiencies should be top priorities this session,” Public Health Chair Ritter said. “I am pleased that Connecticut has taken the lead in this effort, and I am eager to play a major role in support of legislation that will help us move our state in the right direction.”

“This is an exciting time in the history of healthcare for the people of Connecticut,” said Rep. Megna, who is the House chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. “Not only are we evolving into a healthcare system that provides access and affordability for tens of thousands of Connecticut residents, but we are also giving financial relief to the taxpayer and small businesses with the passage of these bills.”

“Skyrocketing insurance rates are crippling Connecticut’s small businesses and wreaking havoc with municipal budgets throughout the state,” said State Rep. Tercyak, House Chair of the Human Services Committee. “Bulk purchasing of health insurance is the remedy—it will bring lower rates and better health care.”

“Today is an important day as we move to advance consumer based health care reforms in our state that will provide real choices and affordable opportunities for individuals, small businesses and the nonprofit sector,” Speaker Donovan stated. “If the financial challenges of the last few years have taught us anything, it is that healthcare is an economic issue for municipalities and for businesses large and small.”

The following bills were included on the agenda:

• HB 6308 (Raised) - An Act Establishing The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership.
• HB 6305 (Raised) - An Act Concerning Implementation Of The Sustinet Plan.
• HB 6323 (Raised) - An Act Making Conforming Changes To The Insurance Statutes Pursuant To The Federal Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, And Establishing A State Health Partnership Program.
• SB 921 (Raised) - An Act Establishing A State Health Insurance Exchange.
• HB 6322 (Raised) - An Act Concerning State Prescription Drug Purchasing.

The morning after President Obama gave his State of the Union address, Waterford officials gave their version, telling a crowd of about 50 at Town Hall that tough times are ahead but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Things are as bad as they’ve been since I’ve been here,” First Selectman Dan Steward said. “But there have been many positive developments this year.”

The event, called the State of the Town Address, is sponsored by the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. Steward, along with State Sen. Andrea Stillman, State Rep. Betsy Ritter and interim superintendent Randall Collins, spoke about all the state of Waterford.

Stillman, a Democrat, admitted the economy was tough and that schools were not doing a good enough job of preparing young people. But those problems would be fixed, led by new governor Dannel Malloy, she said.

“I feel very positive about fixing these problems because of the leadership in the governor’s office,” she said. “We have a governor who wants to be governor.”

Ritter took her time to discuss her initiatives for the ongoing legislative session, including extending Route 11, which currently ends in Salem, to Waterford. She also said the sale of the state-owned Seaside property should go through to a developer this year.

“We can finally take that property off of the state’s surplus list,” Ritter said. “And turn it into a useful, taxable property.”

Steward highlighted many of the town’s accomplishments in 2010, including the rebuilding of Douglas Lane and the intersection of Route 32 and Lathrop Road, the new construction on the F. W. Webb Building, and the Coca Cola distribution center planned for Parkway South.

The F.W. Webb building and the Coca Cola center were both $10 million projects, Steward said. Another $10 million project in Waterford could be starting soon as well, as L & M Hospital is looking to build a large patient outreach center in town, he said.

“All of those things cost them money, which is good, because that money is invested back into the community,” Steward said.

Collins took his time to explain the pending school budget and the necessity of getting all six board of education unions to accept a wage freeze. With the freeze, nobody would lose their job; without it, up to 20 teachers would lose their jobs, he said.

“There is no place else to cut; 80 percent of our budget is personnel,” he said. “The unions need to agree to these freezes to avoid layoffs.”

And finally, both Charter Oak President Brian Orenstein and Crystal Mall marketing director Chris Bastien both gave quick speeches, as their respective companies helped sponsor the event.

Subway would soon join the Crystal Mall food court, Bastien said, and a new national family restaurant will soon replace the former Charley’s restaurant. Because the deal is not completed, the name of the restaurant was not released, but Bastien said it will be released “within a few weeks.”

The SustiNet Board’s Final Report includes recommendations for:

• Implementing a delivery system and payment reforms to move toward a more coordinated, patient-centered, evidenced-based approach to health care that improves quality and slows cost growth.
• Integrating these improvements first over publicly-administered health plans, including state employees and retirees, Medicaid and HUSKY beneficiaries to bring savings to taxpayers.
• Leveraging the power of existing state programs and federal dollars to provide a new health insurance choice for municipalities, private employers and households.

“Being here today and discussing SustiNet legislation we just raised in our committee is a huge milestone,” Ritter said. “We have been working together with an extraordinary group in the SustiNet Board that was formed to bring forth recommendations that would allow us to draft a comprehensive bill, and I am pleased to have accomplished one of our immediate goals. I hope you will continue to be involved in this process—come to the public hearing and help us make the case for this important legislation.”

According to the Board’s report, the SustiNet proposal would save Connecticut taxpayers between $226 million and $277 million annually, beginning in 2014. By slowing health care cost growth even 1% per year, SustiNet would have a $355 million positive impact on the state budget in 2014, with gains reaching more than $500 million a year starting in 2019.

“The SustiNet plan will be able to compete in the new insurance exchange when it rolls out in 2014, providing residents with a quality affordable option at a time when more residents will be seeking insurance,” Speaker Donovan said. “This proposal will allow the state to slow cost growth in existing healthcare programs and stretch new federal health reform dollars even further.”

“Connecticut is very fortunate to have in place the building blocks for SustiNet, to help streamline healthcare delivery in our state and make our programs more receptive to new federal healthcare guidelines,” Senator Edith G. Prague (D-Columbia) said. “As the undisputed single most expensive portion of our state budget and with daunting projected budget deficits, there is no better time to make an efficient healthcare delivery system a priority in our state.”

Kevin Galvin, Small Business for a Healthy CT stated, "Small businesses need health care reform to sustain them and grow. SustiNet allows Connecticut's small businesses to provide quality, affordable health insurance. It's the right thing to do."

Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Chair of the SustiNet Board was unable to attend the event, but issued the following statement, “I commend the state General Assembly’s Public Health Committee for moving state health care reform forward – positioning Connecticut to save hundreds of millions in state health care dollars, while increasing access to affordable and quality health care for all state residents.”

To view a copy of the full SustiNet report please go to:  www.ct.gov/sustinet/lib/sustinet/sn.final_report.appendix.cga.010711.pdf

“We would like to thank Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation for standing up for quality, affordable health care for Connecticut’s working families. Under federal health reform, our constituents are already seeing better access to affordable care, an end to arbitrary lifetime limits on benefits and denials without a chance of appeal. In addition, our state is taking advantage of millions of new health care dollars for Medicaid and retiree health insurance. We stand behind our delegation as they stand up to the special interests and putting Connecticut’s people before insurance industry profits.”

SustiNet (PA 09-148) is a comprehensive plan that lays out a framework for leveraging the bargaining power of the state's health care purchasing to create a larger pool open to individuals and groups. The plan creates an infrastructure for a state-wide health care delivery system while containing costs and promoting preventive care.

It is estimated SustiNet would save Connecticut taxpayers between $226 million and $277 million annually, beginning in 2014. These savings result from substituting newly available federal dollars for current state spending.  By slowing health care cost growth even 1% per year, SustiNet would have a $355 million positive impact on the state budget in 2014, with gains reaching more than $500 million a year starting in 2019.